BRF opens $160m factory in Abu Dhabi

Brazilian food company BRF has officially opened a new $160-million factory in Abu Dhabi. The investment provides BRF with a land plot of 1.7 million sqft in Khalifa Industrial Zone Abu Dhabi (Kizad) and will employ 1,400 workers. The plant will have a production capacity of approximately 70 thousand tons of food products a year including breaded items, pizzas, burgers and other products.

“The opening of the food production plant represents a crucial landmark in our continuous efforts to enable development and trade, while diversifying the emirate’s economy in line with Abu Dhabi’s Economic Vision 2030. The fact that BRF is opening its biggest Middle East plant in Kizad confirms the zone’s world-class business offerings, innovative logistics infrastructure and unprecedented access to global markets through our flagship deep-water Khalifa Port,” says Kizad chairman Mohamed Juma Al Shamisi.

“The new plant represents one of the key foundations of BRF’s strategy of commitment and investment to the Middle East region, a fast growing market that is most strategically placed for the internationalisation process of BRF products,” says Abilio Diniz, BRF chairman.

The opening is part BRF’s plan to increase revenues from the Middle East to at least 20% of its total income by 2020. The Middle East is BRF’s biggest export market and currently contributes 17% of group revenues, helped by its Sadia brand of some halal products. The new production line will also amplify BRF’s effort towards continuous improvement of high quality and safe food products in the Gulf region as well as supporting food producers in the region.

“The Kizad plant is testament to BRF’s commitment to expand our business in the Middle East region. Local production of processed food greatly increases our offering flexibility and adaptation of our products to regional demands and expansion of our Sadia product portfolio in the food service channel for the Middle East, providing the best food products to our customers,” elaborates Pedro Faria BRF International CEO.